Ander smith



NME/-K Indentur;

[LIFETERS PHOTO-UTMOGHAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. C`

PATENT OFFICE. y

HALoYoNSKINNEE, oE WEST FARMS, vEw YORK, ASsiGNoE @ALEX- ANDER SMITH, or SAME rLAoE. I l

IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER-LOOM FOR WEAVING `TUFTEDv PILE FABRICS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent'No. 39,759, dated September l, 1863.

Ido 'hereby declare that the .following is a full, clear,rand exact description thereoreterence being had tothe accompanying drawy ings, making part of this specification, in

Figure` 1 is an elevation of the left-hand side of a loom on my improved plan; Fig. 2, 'ari elevation of `the right-hand yside,`with part ot' the frame cutaway to exhibit thearrangement of the harness; Fig. 3, anelevation of the front with the iront portion of Athegframe removed; Fig. 4, a vertical-section taken at the lineA et of Fig. `3, Fig. 5, a plan of one end of the combing mechanism and the plate for holding down the tut'tingwvarps; Fig. 6, another vertical section taken` at the lille A a of. Fig. 3, and representing the parts in diii'erent positions from Fig. 4; Fig. 7, a like verf tical section of the combing mechanism and parts connected therewith representedlin `a third position; Fig. 8,y another vertical-sec-` tion taken at the lineA cof Fig. 3, but looking in a direction the reverse of the arrow onl Fig. Fig. 9, a sectionot' the mechanism .for operating the comb Fig. 10, a front View of the lay to represent theplate which beats up the ranges ot'tut'ts, and part of the mechan ism by which it is prevented from chatingthe warllryarns; Fig. ll, a plan of the shears and the mechanism for transferring the spool, frames `and Vpart ot the mechanism for operat ing thein; Fjg.`12, anl end `vvicwot' Fig. l1; Fig. 13, a section in perspective of Vthe mech. ani-sintbrgripping the spool-i'ra1nes; Fig. 14, side `and edgeviews in. section of one lot'` the spoollchains and partsin connection, and Fig.

15"iro1 1t and end view of one end ct' a spool-I trame. m

The saine letters indicate like the'ljgnres. q m i.

My said invention relates to improvements upon an invention described in and secured by Letters Patent of `the United States,bear ing datethe 4th day ot' November, 1856, and granted Ato Alexander Smith and Halcyon Skinner for a power-loom for weaving a i'abparts in all.

ric composed of tufts of yarn to form the guring pile, yand held by a linen warp and weft to form a back resembling the back of tapestry` Brussels carpeting interwoven with the usual `heddles and shuttles, as in weaving tapest.rycarpeting, such fabrics being generally known under the name of Axminster carpets. L l

The first part of my said invention relates to an improvement in the manner of mounting the warps in the loom, and in the operation of the harness, whereby I am `enabled more perfectly to secure the tufts inthe fabric and to make a better web or back than can be effected by the loom described in the be;

`fore recited Letters Patent.

The second part of my said invention relates to an improvement in the mechanismV for transferring oneby one the `frames which carrythe'spools on which the tuftng-yarns are wound of the various colors required `for each range of tufts in the design or figure "to be woven. f l

. In the loom described inthe said recited Letters Patent there isa series of spools equal in number to the number of ranges of tufts re quired foracomplete design, each spoolv having woundupon it, and insections, the variety of colored yarns required for-one range of tufts, and the journals of each spool are mountedand turn in a separate-frame, and the whole series of spool-frames` are mounted in and carriediby two endless chains, so operated as' in succession to bring one of the said spool-frames to the required position, whereit istaken bythe mechanism detached from the chains and letdown to within-a short distancey above that part ot' the Warpswlle're a range oftufts-isto be introduced.

'lhis part of the present invention relates to` an improved mechanism for taking the' spool-frames from the chains7 depressing them to` the position..required, and after a range ot' tufts has beenint-rodnced `in the/warps and cutoff,` returning the spool-frames to the chains. l u v A.

The third part Aof my said invention relates to an improvement which I denominate the combing operation. The functions of this mechanism are to hold the Warps properly apart during the, operation of inserting the* tuftingyarns, and after they have been c ut oft', and to rise through the tufts and comb them out, and thereby prevent them from becoming tangled. Y

Thefourthpartof my said invention relates toV an improvement in the mechanism for cutting ot'f the tufts from the yarns on the spools, by which that operation is rendered more perfect and the mechanism simplified; and the last part of my said invention relates to an improvement by which I am enabled to prevent the ehang of the warps experienced in the use of the loomrdeseribed in the beforerecited Letters Patent. In the loom so patented the range of tufts, after being inserted and cut off, is forced home or beat up to the required place in the fabric by a plate connected with the lay, and which for this purpose rides on the warps. It was found in .practice that this chafes and injures the warps; and this part of my invention consists in combi ning with such beating-up plate .a mechanism by which it islifted up afterbeating up the range of tufts, and by which it is held up clear of the warps during the after operations of the lay in beating up the weft- `threads to weave the web.

In the accompanyingr drawings, a represents a suitable frame for the purpose, and b, c, and d, three warp-beams, which are to be provided Withvsuitablev means for making tension and letting oft' the warps, and from the three beams there are three sets of warps, b c d The warp b, I denomioneI for each beam. nate the tuftinaivarp/7 because it Vsecures and holds vthe tufts in the fabric. r1`his tufting warp is divided into two parts in passing through theharness. One third passes through one leaf, e, of the harness, and the other two thirds pass through another leaf, f, and the divi'sion'of this warp into two parts, of onethird and twoth'rds, is distributed equally across the loom. anl so that there shall be for each tuft two threals ot' the two-thirds part, and one thread of the other part. Of this dil vision l denominate-the two-thirds the inner tufting-warps,77 because in the woven fabric they lie inside of the tufts, and the one-third I denominate the under tuftingwarps, becausethey pass under the tufts. The warps c and d form the web or back of the fabric, there being as many threads in the warp d as in the whole of the tufting-warp and one-third less in the warp o', so'that for each tuft. across the width of the fabric there will l e three threads of the warp d and two of the warp c. I prefer to have the threads of the two warps b and d of about equal thickness ar I the warp c about three times the size el' the others. In the woven fabric there will between every two longitudinal ranges of tufts two threads of the large warp c and 'three of the small warp d and two of each at each selvage. The large warp c passes through the same leaf, e, of the harness as the under tufting-warp, b', and the warp d passes through a third warp, g, of the harness, but three leaves of harness ubeing required in the loom. All

the warps pass to the cloth-beam h in front, which is to be provided with a suitable takeup motion.` `It is importantA that the tension on the warps should be different. The tension should be greatest on the large warp c', as the object is to have it nearly straight in the woven fabric. It should be least on the small warp d', that it may be caused to lap around the weft-threads as much as possible; and on the tufting-warp b there should be about a medium l tension, not so great as to prevent the threads from lapping around the tuftingyarn and yet sufficient to grip and hold the tufts iirmly in the fabric.

In the operation of weaving, and preparatory to introducing the tufting-yarn, the leaf j' of the harness is raised and the other two depressed. In this condition all the warps are depressed, with the exception of the inner tufting-warp. b', which is elevated. The tufting-yarn is then introduced between these elevated warps by the series of pinchers i, operated as described in the before-recited patent, and not necessary to be now described, as it makes no part of my presentinventiou. Each mesh of tufting-yarn is carried down between the warps, moved laterally under two of the said warp-threads and then up again between the warps, thus inclosin g two of the said warpthreads, within each loop that is lto form one tuft. The leafe of the harness is then lifted, which brings up the under part of the tuftirrgwarp b and the large warp c', eachl thread of the under tuftingwarp under one tuft, and 0pposite the space between the two warpthreads inside the tuft, and two of the large warpthreads c in each space between two tufts and two outside to form the selvages. At this time the tufts are sheared ott' by operations to be presently described. In the condition last named a weft-thread is thrown across. Ihe lay then moves forward to beat up the weftthread and range of tufts, and as the lay is advancing to make this beat the leaf e of the harness begins to descend with the outer part of the tufting-warp b and with the large warps o', and at thesame time the leaf' g of the harness is elevated with the warps d', all thesewarps being' iu the same plane at or about the time of the completion of this beat of the lay 5 and as the lay moves backthe leaf g carries up the warps df, and the leaf f and theleaf e carry down their wa-rps to open the shed to receive a second weft-thread, which is then beat up, and then the shed is opened by depressing the leaf g and elevating the leaf .e, the leaf j' remaining down to receive a third weft-thread, which is thus passed under the warps c and the outer part of the tuftingwarp b and over the inner part of the tuftingwarp b and the warp d', and after this third weft-thread has been beaten up the leaf f is elevated and the other two depressed to restore the warpsto the same relative positions they occupied in the beginning and preparatory to receiving another range of tufts.

The mechanism giving the harness motions Vabove described is -fully represented in the accompanying drawings. The three leaves e f g are suspended between two sets of levers, j and k, one `set `above and the other below, and each set consisting of three levers vibrating on their fulcra. The outer ends of the Aupper andlower levers are connected by rods ll l, which are slotted, as at m,to receive the ends of three cam-levers, u n a, provided each with aroller, o,f1tted to work in the eamgroove p, of a cam-wheel. The three `camwheels areon the same shaft, q, and turn together. They are all different in form, the one, r, to operate the leaf e, the one, rf, to operate the leaff, and the third, r, to operate the leaf g. They are separately represented, that the form required for giving the motions and periods of rest above described may be clearly seen. and the position of the cam-roller on each will indicate the relative positions Awhich they occupy on the shaft.

In the mechanism for transferring the spoolframes the spools s and their frames t are constructed and arranged as in .the before-rccitedpatent, but at the lower end ot' the two chains,gwhere they pass around two wheels, u, there are two curved plates, a u', within which the ends v of the spool-frames pass as they are carried down by the revolution of the chains. The spool-frames are held in the links ofthe chain by a catch-spring, w, at each end, in the manner represented in Fig. l5, but on coming clown to the wheels u u these spring-catches are pushed in to liberate the frame from the chains by coming in contact with the faces ofthe wheels, and then the ends t: v of the spool frames, thus liberated from the chains, han g on the inner surface of the curved plates af u', although they continue to be moved along by the chain until they reach an opening, a', in each plate, made of sufcient size tol permit the said projections to passout. At this moment the chains are stopped, as described in thebefore recited patent'. The spoolframe, on reaching the posit'ion` last named, is, however, prevented from ldropping outby `twocurved supports, y y, on the ends of two springs attached bytheir rear ends to two arms, z z, on arock-shatt, a', to be presently described. While'the parts are in these positions the lower ends, b2 b2, of the spool-frame are taken hold of by the inner end of two vibrating levers, c2 c2, that have their filiera on the end otY the arms a z of the rock-shaft a, the said levers for the purpose being provided each with an inner lip; d2, to pass under the ends, and two projections, e2 e2, which pass each side of the ends of the spool-frame for the purpose of holding it, the said lips and projections being slightly' beveled to prevent catching against the ends ot' the frame when moving in to take hold of it, which takingchold operation is eli'ected by tlievibration of thegtwo levers c2 c2, so soon as the chains have brought the spool to the required position. The better to grip and hold the spool-frame, one of the said side projections, 62, is hinged and acted on by a spring to make it grip the spool-frames, as represented in Fig. 13. The vibration of the two levers c2 c2 in opposite directions, for taking hold of and afterward. liberating the spoolframes, is effected by connecting their opposite ends by means of connecting-rods f2 f2 with the opposite ends ofa shortintermediate lever, g', pivoted to the surface of the rock- 'it ino-ves back iarther than in making its series of beats,and in so moving back a piece, m', on the lay strikes the convex face ofthe camlike part of the arm l. This gives the required rocking motion to the rocking shaft k to slide the rod t', and by theconnections described to vibrate the levers c2 c2 to make them grasp the ends of the spool-frame. This back motion of the lay is given by the partit of the lay-cam o', and from a to p the said cam is concentric to give the required period of rest t-o the lay in this back position, while the various tuftin g operations take place, and from 19 to g it gives `the first forward beating motion to beat up the tufts and the lirst weft-thread,

and in making this iirst forward beat the -piece m' on the lay acts on the concave face ofthe cam-like projection of the arm l to vibrate the levers f2 f2 to liberate the spooltraine to deliver it to the chain, which then carries it away preparatory to bringing the next one in place for another range of tufts. 'lhe vibrating levers c2 c2 have, each ot them a cam-like projection, r r', which, as the levers are moved outward to letgo the spoolframe, pass under the springs of the curved supports y y to force them up', and thereby lift. up the spool-frame, so that its projecting ends fu o shall be sure to enter the openings of and get fairly within the curved plates u a. The spool-frame, being held by the levers c2 02, is to be let down to within a short distance ot' the surface of the cloth that thetufiing-yarns on the spool may be drawn through and around the warps by the pinchers or nippers, as fully described in the Letters Patent before recited. This letting down operation is effected in the following manner: The arm z of the rock-shaft af, on the left-hand side of the loom, rests on the point of an adjusting screw, s', attached to a connecting rod, t', connected with thevibrating end of a lever. u, provided with a cam ball or roller, c', which is acted upon by a cani, zu. The parttof'this cam'from l to 2 permits the said lever u to descend and with it the levers c2 c2, with the spool frame. At the end of this descending motion the other beats for the three picks, a plate, a3, ismoved back and down onto thetufting-warps, passing over the pile already woven without touching it. In the patentbefore recited there is such a plate and for the same purpose-viz., holding down the tufting-warps during the operation of forming the tuftsand in the said patent this plate was provided with teeth extending between the tuftingwarps to hold them laterally; but in the present instance the said plate is without teeth, as one of my present improvements relates to the introduction of a combing mechanism which combs the tufts after they have been inserted and cut off, and thel comb thus introduced is employed to hold the tufting-warps apart during thertuftin g operation, and before they perform the combing operation. The said holding-down plate a3 is pivoted at each end to an arm, c3 11,3 of a rockshaft, w3, which has its bearings in the frame, and that Aone of the arms/U3 which lis on the right-hand side of the loom is connected by a joint-link, x3, with a lever, g3, provided with a spring, z3, the tension of which tends constantly to draw the plate backtoward the lay and to keep the cam-ball of the lever yi* against a cam,a4, on the cam-shaft q. The concentricpart of this cam, from l to 2, holds the plate out of the way at its farthest position, from thelay, as represented in Fig. 7, and the part from 2 to 3 moves it toward the lay, as the lay makes 4its last back movement, bringing it to the position represented in Fig. 6, at which the nippers t' begin to rise between the tufting-warps to take hold of the tufting-yarns, and the concentric part of the said cam, from 3 to 4holds the plate in the position last named until after the nippers have drawn the tufting-yarns down and carried themnnder the warpsand while the said nippers carry 'the ends of the tuftiug-yarns up between the i warps,that part ofy the said cam from 4 to 5 "movesthe said plate farther toward the tufts,

so that its bearing-edge shall be as near to the tufts as thenippers will permit. The said last position of the plate is represented in Fig. 4. After Athe tut'ting operation` is completed, the plate ispushed back by the plate in front of the reed for driving home the range of tufts, and while performing that operation, as will be presently described. So far the back-and-forth vmovements only of the said plate have been described. The weight of the back of the said plate has the preponderance, and at the ends near the back it is prnvided with two pins, b4 b4, which rest and slide on two permanent ways, c4 c4, the form of which, as represented, will cause the plate to move up and down and vibrate ou its axis of connection with the arms v3 t3, as required to perform the duties described. On top of the plate a3 and at the ends it is formed with projections d4 d4, with slots in them to receive journals on the ends of the comb-plate e4, the said journals being about in a linewith the back of the comb-teeth, and so adapted that they can slide in the said slots. The combrepresented. The back of this comb-plate at both ends is connected by suitable wrist-pins and links j'4f4 with the arms g4 g4 of a rockshaft, h4, the journals o-f which are mounted in the arms fc3 n3 of the rock-shaft w3, so that the rock-shaft h4 moves with the arms c3 v3. The mechanism so far described would cause the comb-plate to have just the same movements as the plate w3; but as the plate a3 makes its first-described movement toward the place where the range of tufts is to be formed, it is necessary that the back edge of the combplate should be elevated to depress the teeth, that they may enter between the tufting-warps to hold them apart. This isertected by a hook, 4, which, at the time the shaft h4 is moved with the arms c3 v3, holds onto the pin on a short arm,j4, extending down from it, thatits upper arms, g4 g4, may move faster, and thereby lift the back of the comb-plate and carrying the teeth down between the warps, as represented in Fig; 6. The teeth remain there until the nippers carry up the ends of the tuftingyarns between the warps, and as they rise the back of the comb-plate is depressed to bring the comb-teeth to the position represented in Fig. 6. To do this the hook 4 must be rst disengaged from the arm z74 of the rock-shaft h4, which is eiected by a rod, k4, which lifts it off from the pin at the required time. This rod is connected with and lifted by the lever l4, which lifts the nippers i by the cam m4, the said lever Z4 being connected with the arm a4 of the nippers by the link o4, as represented, i

and so soon as the hookis disengaged the plate a3 begins its last movement toward the tufts, as before described. One of the arms g4 is held back bya pin, p4, on a Xedl bracket,

`q4. This draws down the back ofthe combplate, causing the teeth to rise between the lower part of the tufts to the position represented in'Fig. 4. As the hook 'i4 is disengaged from the arm )"4 of the comb-motion, and this rod receives its motion from the lever which lifts the nippers, and in the operation the nippers have two up and down motions, one to take` hold of and draw down the tufting-yarns and the other to carry them up, and in the formerthey are lifted higher than in the latter, i

and it is during the latter that the hook it of the comb is required to be disengaged. `Itis necessary to understand why the rod 7a4 does not lift the hook i4 during the first upward.

motion of the nippers. The nippers, after drawing down the tufting-warps, receive a lateral movement to carry the yarns under the warp-threads, as fully described in the patent herein recited. To do this a rock-shaft, r4, is madeto slide endwise to the required distance. The rod h4 slides in a lug, s4, on the said shaft r4, so that when the shaft slides to give the lateral movement to the nippers, it carries the the rod 7a4 in line to unhook the hook 114, when the nippers make their second upward movement.

ment the face of the plate t4 grips the range of tufts 4up against the edge of the plate a3, and, in pushing the range ot tufts home, pushes the plaie tlf and the comb back at the same time, the comb-teeth still relnaining between the tufts, and at the bottom thereof. Thc'fnrce with which the tufts are gripped against the edge of the plate a3 is such that' the weight of its back edge is not sufficient to lift its forward edge, but the moment it is relieved from this pressure by the back movement of the lay the weight of the back preponderates, lifting the front edge, and with it the combs, which pass up between the tufts to perform the last of their combing operation, This lifting motion of the comb-teeth is arrested by the pinsb4 b4 ofthe plate a3 coming down onto the highest portion of the ways c4 c4. The lower edge of the beating-up plate t4, as before stated, is described in the patent herein recited as resting and riding on the warps during all the beats of the lay. It is only necessary that it should touch or nearly touch the warps when it approaches the range of tufts during the first beat of the lay, that it may be effectual in driving` home the range of tufts, but at all other times it is important that it should not touch the warps. This plate tf1 is placed so as to slide against the front face of the reed, anti the mode of construction adapted and represented is to take two plates, one in front and the other behind the reed, and unite the ends beyond the ends ofthe reed. The ends are connected by wrists or journals, and two links, ai a, with two arms of a rock-shaft, c, provided with a coil-sprin g, w, which tends constantly to hold the plate up against the top-bar of the reed; but at the time ofthe first forward beat ofthe lay it is drawn down by a cam, x4, acting on an arm, (1/4, of the said rock-shaft, so that its lower edge shall rest on or close to the warps. When the shearing mechanism is depressed prior to the tufting operation, the weight of the shearing mechanism is availed of to increase the tension on the tufting-warps, which are required to be under greater tension at that time than during the weaving-in operations.

This is accomplished by an arm, z, on the rockshaftf, which, by the descent of the frame in which the shears work, is moved back and acts by a dog on the teeth of a rod, a5, which, bythe interposition of a spring, b5, acts on an arm, c5, of the rock-shaft d5 to elevate the whip-roll c5 of the tufting-warps b', as represented.

On inspection of the drawings it will be seen that all the cams for producing the several motions required are arranged on one shaft instead of two, as described in the patent herein recited.

The connection of the several improvements constituting my present invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in conneet-ion with the invention described in the before-recited patent, and, in so far as it was necessary to modify the form and arrangement ofthe old parts to connect the improvements with the said priorinvention, such modifications are fully representedin the accompanying drawings.

What I claim as my invention, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The manner of mounting and operating the several warps relatively to each other and to the introduction of the tufts and the series of wefts, substantially yas described, and for the purp( sa set forth.

2. The improved arrangement'herein described for transferring the spool-frames which carry the tufting yarns, as distinguished from the arrangement described in the before-recited patent for effecting the transfer.'

3. The mechanism herein described for performing the combing operation on the tufts. 4. The said combing mechanism, in combination with the mechanism for holding the tufting-warps in the -same plane during the tufting operation. as described.

5. The mechanism, substantially as hereinl described, for cutting oi the tufts oy means of a single pair of shears, as distinguished from a pair ot shears foreach tuft, as described in the before-recited Letters Patent.

6. The manner in which the plate which beats up the tufts is prevented from'chating the warp-threads, substantially as described.

HALcYoN sKrNNnn.

Witnesses:

WM. H. BISHOP, A. DE LACY. 

